tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453446794400871966.post4892094625518169662..comments2013-11-08T08:01:29.261-06:00Comments on Soviet Overseas Trading Company News: Why Capitalism (literally) StinksThe Dutchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15634052176803455348noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453446794400871966.post-87832874451525977132013-11-08T08:01:29.261-06:002013-11-08T08:01:29.261-06:00I recognize the point made in the post, but I want...I recognize the point made in the post, but I wanted to counter that point by saying that the overall record of capitalism is much better than you seem to recognize in raising the standard of living of ordinary people. I also recognized that government plays a positive role, occasionally. So, no, it was not a reflexive reaction. The fundamental disagreement is simply a matter of where we fall on the continuum of good vs. bad for both government and free market. For me, capitalism is probably 8 out of 10 on the &quot;good&quot; meter, while I&#39;m guessing that for you, it&#39;s somewhere in the 1-2 range.L Bergmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453446794400871966.post-12980092595282710702013-11-08T01:31:49.969-06:002013-11-08T01:31:49.969-06:00&quot;- indoor plumbing and readily available hot ...&quot;- indoor plumbing and readily available hot water have made it possible for people of even limited means to bathe or shower as often as desired, instead of having to wait weeks on end.&quot;<br /><br />Wasn&#39;t the whole point of this post that the historical reccord shows that it was govenment, and not the market, that brought sewer and water service to the masses? Your bringing up this point, as if it served your side, makes me wonder if you even paid attention to the innitial post or just reacted reflexively.The Dutchmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15634052176803455348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453446794400871966.post-39778451284594009832013-11-07T20:36:46.798-06:002013-11-07T20:36:46.798-06:00It is to be conceded that there are flaws with cap...It is to be conceded that there are flaws with capitalism. Resistance to change by those having an entrenched position is one of them, though it must be said that this isn&#39;t unique to a capitalist system. The wealthy classes of societies throughout history have been resistant to progress when it went against their interests. Why make special note of the French property owners of the 19th century?<br /><br />Regardless, though, there are numerous inventions made possible by capitalism that have contributed to the &quot;cleaning&quot; of our society that easily offset the temporary slowing of progress that may have occurred due to these ornery property owners.<br /><br />- the invention of the internal combustion engine and the resulting shift from horses to automobiles eliminated the piles of horse manure that were constantly accumulating in urban areas<br />- household inventions have contributed to cleanliness that previously could be attained only by royalty and aristocracy. Vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, laundry machines, steam cleaners and other appliances were brought to us by inventors and industrialists who would never have come up with these devices without the capitalist structure.<br />- indoor plumbing and readily available hot water have made it possible for people of even limited means to bathe or shower as often as desired, instead of having to wait weeks on end<br />- early forms of industrial transportation that were dirty and produced lots of pollution (such as coal-fired steam locomotives) were gradually replaced by cleaner power sources (such as diesel fuel)<br /><br />Not all of these changes and inventions came about instantly; one can be certain that elements of society having a vested interest in the old way of doing things fought the new-fangled ways with tenacity. With every advance brought on by capitalism, there are winners and losers. However, it&#39;s clear that the arc invariably trends upward, as the benefits brought on by individual actors in the capitalist drama are distributed far and wide.<br /><br />The buggy whip manufacturer would have fought to preserve his business, even in the face of ever-decreasing demand due to the availability of the mass-produced automobile.<br /><br />The canal owners and operators would have fought similarly against the railroads.<br /><br />The ice maker would have resisted the obsolescense to his living brought on by refrigeration.<br /><br />The list goes on and on. With each change, some lose out, but the net effect on society is positive.<br /><br />In fairness, not all of the progress we have experienced has been solely due to capitalism, which sometimes needs to be constrained. Clean Air and Water legislation is but one example of necessary regulation against the difficulty that capitalism has with dealing with externalities.<br /><br />On the whole, though, the record is clear: capitalism is an overwhelmingly positive factor in improving the lives and well-being of billions of people. <br /><br /><br />L Bergmannoreply@blogger.com